Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up December 1st to 7th – Christmas Music, Festive Brussel Sprouts, Italian Biscotti, Winter Sun and plenty of other Shenanigans!

Welcome to the weekly round up of posts that you might have missed. Things are definitely getting festive around here and I hope that you will enjoy the fun.

It has been a busy week at the homestead with the new fence up and awaiting staining once the weather dries out a bit… excellent job by the workmen who stuck it out through wind, hail, pouring rain, up to the knees in mud… brilliant. Now we need to put tons of stones down for drainage all along the bottom covered by more tons of topsoil and new turf.. The last major job before we put the house on the market in the spring.

And.. I launched by new book…just in the nick of time….more details later in the post in the New Books on the Shelves..

As always a huge thank you to regular guests to the blog who have pulled out all the stops to inform and entertain us…and to you for dropping in and leaving comments and sharing the posts.

First a reminder of the Christmas short story series…

Last Sunday I posted a Christmas story from my collection Flights of Fancy – Father Christmas And I also extended an invitation to you, to share a fiction short story with a Christmas theme.

I would like to invite you to share your fiction here in December with one of your stories.

• I know how busy everyone is at this time of year, but perhaps you have a short story you have already published on your own blog and would like to share with another audience over here.
• I will leave the word count to you but as an approximation I would be happy with stories between 500 and 1,500 words…if longer then I am sure it will not be a problem.
• If you are an author I will also be delighted to share the link to buy your work on Amazon.
• Some of you are already in the Cafe and Bookstore and I have all your details, so no need to include again, but if you are new to the blog then I will need some information.

If you are already in the Cafe and Bookstore then please send the following to sally.cronin@moyhill.com:

1. The link to your short story if already on your blog
2. Or, your word document of your story.

If you are new to smorgasbord the please send the following to sally.cronin@moyhill.com:

1. The link to your short story if already on your blog
2. Or, your word document of your story
3. Your amazon author page link for your books (so I can find your bio and book covers)
4. Links to your blog and two other main social media links.

Look forward to hearing from you…

On with the other posts from the week.

Over the next four weeks, I am so pleased that William Price King will be a sharing a selection of Christmas music to get us into the festive spirit. The Lullay Song and What Child is This…

Christmas music with William Price King The Lullay Song

For any of us in the colder and wetter climates, a respite somewhere sunny is top of of most of our wish lists. Today three wonderful destinations where you will enjoy warm weather and an even warmer welcome from your hosts. I have selected islands where you can relax and even if it is for just two weeks, boost your tan and well-being before the real winter kicks in.

The Travel Column with D.G. Kaye – Three Winter Sun Destinations – Kauai, Hawaii, Malta and Martinique

It is that time of year when we bring out the decorations and over here – The Cook from Scratch Christmas recipes... I look at the health benefits of the food.. and my friend Carol Taylor turns them into something delicious the whole family will love.  This week the wonderful Brussel Sprouts.

Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – Healthy and delicious Brussel Sprouts

If you are looking for a different kind of Christmas cookie this year then these Cantucci Biscotti from Silvia Todesco look amazing… and if memory serves me right, dipping them in your coffee or hot chocolate adds to their deliciousness…

Italian Cantucci Biscotti by Silvia Todesco

This week Mike Biles continues with his A-Z of Christmas starting with the Turkey through to Figgy Pudding.. more next week.

Mike Biles – A – Z of Christmas from Turkey dinner to Figgy Pudding

Delighted that Anne R. Allen accepted my invitation to be a guest during the run up to Christmas. As writers, we don’t always get the feedback we expect from family and friends, and Anne shares some of the ways it might sabotage our efforts.

Anne R. Allen explores how well intentioned loved ones can sabotage your writing career

Earlier in the year editor Sarah Calfee wrote a guest post on editing that I think is well worth sharing again as part of the Christmas Book Fair.

Demystifying the levels of Fiction Editing by Sarah Calfee

Being the first challenge of the month, Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 156 is left to our discretion as ‘Poet’s Choice’.  I have written a double etheree – Happy Christmas

Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 156 – Happy Christmas

My response to this weeks Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge by Charli Mills  the prompt is ‘Key Lime Pie’.... and I hope you enjoy the ingredients in my story……

Flash Fiction – Key Lime Pie

New Releases for Christmas

Life’s Rich Tapestry: Woven in Words by Sally Cronin

Supernatural Thriller Eventide – A Hodes Hill Novel Book 3 by Mae Clair

Post Apocalyptic – Blackthorn by Terry Tyler

Thriller – At the Seaside Nobody Hears you Scream by Janet Gogerty

Author updates

#Saga Judith Barrow, #Poetry Vandan Bhasin and Smitha Vishwanath, #Crime Sue Coletta, #YARomance Angie Dokos

#Fantasy Julia Benally, #Drama Deborah A. Bowman, #Mystery Diana J. Febry, #Adventure Jacqui Murray

#Wardrama Marina Osipova, #Memoir Cynthia S. Reyes, #Thriller Gwen M Plano, #Poetry Frank Prem

#Romance Linda Bradley, #Drama Mary Crowley, #Adventure Audrey Driscoll, #Memoir Brigid Gallagher

#Thriller Anne Goodwin, #YA Donna W. Hill, #Childrens Deanie Humphrys-Dunne #Mystery Judy Penz Sheluk

#Review D.G. Kay, Olga Nunez and Interview Jane Risdon with Jennifer Ash

Robbie Cheadle with Frank Prem, #History Darlene Foster, #Chai and Chat Ritu Bhathal

#Spain Joy Lennick, USCitizen Liesbet Collaert, #Thistledown Teagan Geneviene

#Freebook James J. Cudney, #Reading Nicole Osmond, #Story Becky Ross Michael

#reading Nicholas Rossis #Afghanistan Mary Smith, #Writing Shelley Wilson and Owen Mullen

Laughter Lines with D.G. Kaye and Sally Cronin

Even more funnies from Debby Gies and Sally

Thank you so much for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week with more fun and games.. Sally.